Check

A check includes the date, the name of the payee, the amount in words and figures, and the account holder's signature. The payee deposits the check at their bank, which collects the money from the payer's bank through a clearing process.

Checks were once one of the main ways to pay bills and transfer money. Their use has declined sharply in most countries as electronic payments, cards and mobile transfers have become widespread. They remain more common in the United States than in many other countries, for example for rent and some business payments.

For example, a tenant might write a check for 1,200 to their landlord, who deposits it by taking a photo using a banking app, a process called mobile check deposit.

Checks carry risks. A check can bounce if there is not enough money in the account, and check fraud, including forged and altered checks, remains a problem. Payments by check are also slower than most electronic methods. Some countries are phasing out checks entirely.